10/11/2009
NEWS STORY
In the last twelve months F1 has lost three manufacturers, with Renault also considering its future, however, Ross Brawn remains confident the sport will survive and that, in time, the manufacturers will return.
Following three months of worrying uncertainty, it was Ross Brawn who came to the rescue of the Honda F1 team following the shock withdrawal of the Japanese manufacturer in December 2008. And while the Englishman and his Brackley team have turned F1 on its head by winning both titles, the global economic crisis, together with rising costs, a lack of results, not to mention constant rule changes and scandals, BMW and Toyota have now followed, leaving F1 with just Mercedes and FIAT (Ferrari), while Renault remains undecided.
However, Brawn, who has won titles with Benetton, Ferrari and now his own team remains convinced that in time the manufacturers will return.
"It's a major sport and it (manufacturer involvement) will come round again," he told Reuters. "Luckily there is a lot of interest from privateers and they will sustain Formula One for a good few years.
"I've been in Formula One for over 30 years," he continued, "and I've seen it go from total privateers to a huge number of manufacturers back to privateers and it just goes in cycles depending on the climate. There has always been a core group. Ferrari has always been involved and Mercedes has a long history of being involved and riding the occasional storm.
"I think there are some manufacturers that take a day-to-day view," he added, "and unfortunately those are leaving now but they are being filled up by a lot of private teams."
Referring specifically to Japanese involvement in F1, the sport having lost Honda, Toyota and (tyre supplier) Bridgestone, the Englishman said: "They've obviously decided that this is how they need to respond to difficulties they are facing, but they have got a lot of history in Formula One, particularly Honda and Bridgestone, so let's hope.
"It will take a while," he admitted, "it's going to take a few years but Honda's was their second or third involvement in Formula One. Manufacturers look at the value to them of Formula One, there's no sentiment I'm afraid. So when it's viable they come in, and when it's not they don't."